This image released by the US Navy shows an aerial view of Diego Garcia in the Chagos Island group. AP
Britain is shelving its plan to hand back the Chagos Islands, which hosts the strategic Diego Garcia US-UK military base, according to a government spokesperson on Saturday, April 11, following strong opposition from US President Donald Trump.
"We have always said we would only proceed with the deal if it has US support," the spokesperson said in a statement, as reports said legislation to return the Indian Ocean archipelago to Mauritius was due to run out of time in parliament.
Trump in January lashed out at what he called London's "great stupidity" over the deal.
Last May's Chagos agreement would have seen Britain hand the archipelago, some 2,000 kilometres northeast of Mauritius, to its former colony and pay to lease Diego Garcia, the largest island, which is home to the military base, for a century.
